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Illustration of DNA
Can “Gene Writing” Deliver What Gene Editing Can’t?
A biotech startup called Tessera Therapeutics has made a splash with its claims about the trademarked technology. Is the excitement justified?
Can “Gene Writing” Deliver What Gene Editing Can’t?
Can “Gene Writing” Deliver What Gene Editing Can’t?

A biotech startup called Tessera Therapeutics has made a splash with its claims about the trademarked technology. Is the excitement justified?

A biotech startup called Tessera Therapeutics has made a splash with its claims about the trademarked technology. Is the excitement justified?

Bio Business

A vet and technician take a sample from a dog for use in PetDx’s OncoK9 test, which screens cell-free DNA for genomic alterations associated with cancer.
The Pet Health Industry Takes on Canine Cancer
Diana Kwon | Oct 17, 2022 | 9 min read
Advanced genomic tools have provided biotech companies new approaches to help our furry friends—but experts say several limitations remain.
Spraying spray bottle
Nasal Vaccines Are Commercially High Risk, Perhaps High Reward
Jef Akst | Jun 13, 2022 | 10+ min read
Dozens of intranasally delivered vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2 are in development. Could they pave the way for widespread nasal vaccination in the future?
Bacteria on the skin
Biotech Tries Manipulating the Skin Microbiome
Bianca Nogrady | Apr 18, 2022 | 8 min read
Researchers are revealing the complexity of the microbial community living on the body—and paving the way for new bacteria-targeting treatments for acne and other dermatological conditions.
Photo of lab-grown chicken from Eat Just, Inc.
Cultured Meat Advances Toward the Market
Abby Olena, PhD | Feb 14, 2022 | 8 min read
The biotech industry is chipping away at the obstacles standing between the lab and the dinner plate.
DNA
In Editing RNA, Researchers See Endless Possibilities
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Dec 1, 2021 | 10 min read
RNA editing has been in DNA editing’s shadow for nearly a decade, but recent investments in the technology could bring it into the limelight.
Brain cells with electrical firing. 3D rendering.
Microglia as Therapeutic Targets in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Sruthi S. Balakrishnan | Oct 1, 2021 | 10+ min read
Pharmaceutical companies ramp up efforts to get the brain’s immune cells to help treat Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions, but not everyone agrees the approach will be effective.
Women looks at computer screen in a lab coat and mask
Quest for Research Freedom Fuels African Biotech Boom
Linda Nordling | Jul 1, 2021 | 6 min read
Tired of dancing to the tunes of international funders, and doubtful that long-promised national grants will come, a handful of African biomedical scientists have turned to private investors to bankroll their dreams of autonomy in the lab.
A person wearing a purple glove holds out a blue pill
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Is Poised for a Makeover
Shawna Williams | Jun 1, 2021 | 9 min read
With multiple microbiota therapeutics in the pipeline for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection, clinicians foresee a shift in treatment options for the condition.
Pharma Looks to Inflammasome Inhibitors as All-Around Therapies
Rachael Moeller Gorman | Apr 1, 2021 | 10+ min read
Many major biopharmaceutical companies are developing or acquiring drugs that target the NLRP3 inflammasome, a large intracellular complex that researchers say can spark inflammation and stoke diseases of lifestyle and aging.
Biopharma Looks to the Netherlands as European Hub
Jef Akst | Feb 1, 2021 | 7 min read
The recent move of the European Medicines Agency from London to Amsterdam is a reflection of the city’s vibrant life sciences and health sector and supporting industries.
Pharma Looks to Outer Space to Boost Drug R&D
Katarina Zimmer | Dec 1, 2020 | 9 min read
There are benefits of studying certain biological processes under microgravity, but whether those advantages outweigh the costs of getting experiments off Earth remains to be seen.
The Rise of BCI Enables Advances in Neuroscience
Jef Akst | Oct 1, 2020 | 10+ min read
A nascent but growing consumer market for brain-computer interface technology is driving the development of sleek new tools for decoding brain activity.
How the Pharma Industry Pulled Off the Pivot to COVID-19
Diana Kwon | Jul 13, 2020 | 9 min read
The urgent need for tests and therapeutics has brought companies together and pushed researchers to work at breakneck speeds.
Early Detection of Dementia with Smart Devices
Rachael Moeller Gorman | May 1, 2020 | 10+ min read
Digital biomarkers of cognitive decline could alert us to the early stages of dementia before irreversible damage occurs.
Natural Killer Cell Therapies Catch Up to CAR T
Bianca Nogrady | Apr 1, 2020 | 8 min read
There’s a new cell-based cancer immunotherapy on the block.
Variation in Cannabis Testing Challenges a Young Industry
Katarina Zimmer | Mar 1, 2020 | 10 min read
The US lacks standardized methods to assess products for potency and safety. That’s a big problem for the labs tasked with doing the testing.
Gene Therapy Finds a Fertile Home in Ohio
Shawna Williams | Jan 13, 2020 | 8 min read
The midwestern state has quietly laid the groundwork for a biotech hub.
Pharma’s Ghost Labs Find New Life
Katarina Zimmer | Nov 1, 2019 | 9 min read
Finding new tenants for former drug development sites isn’t always easy. But a new, thriving industry has materialized to do just that.
Antidepressant Approvals Could Herald New Era in Psychiatric Drugs
Bianca Nogrady | Oct 1, 2019 | 9 min read
The FDA has given the green light to the first major new classes of antidepressant therapies in decades, opening up new avenues for therapeutic development.
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